Manufacture of hollow metallic doors.



l F. E. How/mn. MANUFACTURE 0F HOLLOW METALUC DOORS.

AFPLlCATiON FILED )ULY 25 211.44

F. E. HOWARD. MANUFACTURE oF'HoLLoW METALUC DooRs.

APPLICATION' FILED JULY 25.1914.

Patented Apr. 22, 1919.

2 sums-sneer 2.

Wa'aizesse:

fie m9225021' me T .6fm/ard 72% L j@ afm/y ria narrar cranica.

FRANK E. HOWARD, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO JAMES L. HOWARD c COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

. made MANUFACTURE OF HOLLOW METALLIC DOORS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 22, Mig.

Application led July 25, 1914. Serial No. 853,119.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, FRANK E. HOWARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented new and useful Improvements in the Manufacture of Hollow Metallic Doors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the manufacture of hollow metallic doors, windows and other structural elements entering into the construction of fireproof railway cars and other structures. The stiles and rails of these structural elements are made from sheet metal bent into a box-like form of the desired dimensions, combining lightness with strength. In applying latches, hinges or other fittings to these doors and windows it is desirable to locate the fittings and their supports as far as possible within the boxlike structure of the stile, cutting away the door shell as little as possible to avoid weakening the shell, in which the strength of such structures wholly or mainlyresides. lt is also desirable to have these fittings and their supports fit each other accurately, and to locate them accurately in the door or window, so that when finally put in place the fittings will workeasily and properly; and in correct relation to the coperating or correlated portions of the hinges, catches, keepers, or other fittings.

ln the manufacture of these doors and windows it has been the common practice to insert the required supports in approximate position in the shell without previously making the seat apertures in the shell or in the supports. Then when .the door structure is completed the apertured seats for receiving the fittings are drilled or otherwise cut in the door shell and in the supports. The locks or latches or other fittings are not usually manufactured bv the door manufacturer, being an entirely different class of work.- Moreover, the tools and other facilities sufficient for the ordinary uses of the door manufacturer are usually inadequate forseating the fittings and their supports with the desired degree of accuracy and uniformity. To insure proper seating and operation of the fittings it is desirable t6 have the supports or seats for the fittings l by the manufacturer of the fittings themseive's, thereby' 'enabling hint' to' insists accurate construction and adjustment of the parts to each other and to the door.

This invention enables the fittings manufacturer thus to make the supports for the fittings, which are then supplied to thej door manufacturer and by him applied to the door, in correct structural and working relation by my improved method with greater accuracy and at less cost than un` der the present practice.

Figure l of the drawings is a plan view of a flat sheet of metal, provided with the required apertures previous to 'bending it into the form of a door stile. Fig. 2 is an edge view illustrating the formation of the saine sheet into one form of door stile. Fig. 3 is a plan view in section taken on the line 3&3 of Figli, of a form of fitting support suitable for applying to the door stile shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the support projected from Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view and Fig. 6 an elevation projected from Fig. 5, showing my improved apparatus for locating the support in position on the door, the door and the support being shown in cross-section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 6.l Fig. 7 is a sectional plan view showing a door latch applied in final position to the door, which with its support is shown in cross-section taken at the same plane as the cross-section in Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a sectional view of a door showing Ya modified form of support which can be applied by the same method and apparatus illustrated in the previous figures.

In the manufacture of these doors illustrated in. Figs. 1 and 2 the sheet of metal 5, which is to be made into the door stile, may have its apertures, shown in Fig. 1, for receiving the fittings, drilled or punched while it is in fiat form. In the instance here illustrated the apertures 6 are for receiving the dowel posts of the fittings. The aperture7 is for receiving the latch and the supporting standards to which the' latch is pivoted. The apertures 8 and 9'are forreceiving theI operatingV spindle and the lock key. respectively, while the apertures 10 are to facilitate weldingor blazing the support to the interior wall of the door shell. The apertures 6., 8 and 9 are made somewhat larger than the' corresponding holes ,in the support, as shown in jgs. 5. 7 and ,8, to

@new fer variations in the sub-'segent benda of a suitable templet.

of a door or window.

ing of the sheet meta-l, and are located on the sheet with sufficient accuracy by means After punching or drilling these apertures in the sheet, the latter is bent from the flat form into the boxlike form shown in Fig. 2 by the steps illustrated in that figure. A suitable former may be used for this bending operation to insure the proper dimensions and proportions of the finished stile. The Stiles and rails thus formed are joined together in the form In the case of doors the stiles and rails are usually joined by means of a panel 13 of a single thickness of sheet metal riveted between the fianges 14 of the stile.

After thus bending the stiles into form, and before closing their ends, the fittings supports like those shown in Figs. 3 and 4 or in Fig. 8 are introduced within the stile from the end and slid along to proper position, where they are located with accuracy by means of the setting apparatus shown in Figs. 5 and 6, constructed as follows A base or plate 18 is provided with dowel studs 19 which extend through the doors and through two or more holes of the support, so as to locate the support accurately upon the apparatus. The ends of the dowel studs are made tapering 0r conical to facilitate their entrance through the door shell and support. The front edges of the plate 18 are turned or shouldered at 20 and 21 to fit against the front edge 22 of the door, against which they are drawn by means of a clamp screw 23 threaded through an inwardly projecting lug 24 at the rear edge of the fixture, and bearing against an inner edge or shoulder of the door stile. The plate 18 is held against the face of the door by a clamp 25, which is hinged at 26 to the plate and has at its opposite end a screw 27 bearing against the other side of the door, preferably against a plate 28. Thus the fixture serves as a gage and a clamp for locating the support with accuracy within the door stile at a definite distance from the edge 22 of the door, which is herein assumed to be, as usual, the working or gaging portion. While thus held in position by the fixture, the side plates 46 ofthe support are secured to the door shell by spot welding or brazing at suitable points, as 29, or by means of rivets. Having thus located and permanently secured the supports within the door stile, the setting apparatus is removed, and the fittings are applied to their seats in the supports.

As illustrated in Fig. 7 the fitting is a door latch having a casing 34 carrying a swinging latch 35, which is pivotally supported on a pintle 36 carried by posts or standards 37 projecting from the casino' 34 through' the aperture 7 in the door sliell. The casing is doweled in correct position. by

means of dowel posts 38 extending from the back plate or escutcheon 40 through the apertures 50 in the support, clearing the larger holes 6 in the door shell, the ends of the dowel posts entering the casing 34. The screws 39 passing through the casing and tapped into the. dowel posts serve to clamp the casing 34 andthe back plate 40 against the opposite outer sides of the door shell, thus making with the aid of the support a firm structure well sustained and accurately located by the support. In this form of' fitting the latch 35 is operated by knobs 41 joined by the customary squared spindle which passes through the apertures 8 of the door and the apertures 50 of the support, and is provided with a cam or tumbler of any well-known form for drawing back the latch, as for example by the connecting rod 42.

The support illustrated in Fig. 5 consists of' plates 46 which may be separate as shown in said figure, or may be joined in an .integral piece by a connecting cross piece 47 shown in Fig. 3, this being subject to the preferences of' the builders, or to the necessities of particular cases. These plates are connected together by shouldered sleeves 48 to the opposite ends of which the plates are riveted, while the holes 49 through the sleeves receive the dowel studs 19 of the setting apparatus as shown in Fig. 5, and later receive the dowel posts 38 of the lock or other fitting. The apertures 50 and 45 of the support correspond in position with the apertures 8 and 9 respectively of the door shell, and are for, admitting the spindle and key of the latch or lock mechanism. Similar apertures are provided wherever required by the character of the fitting to be employed.

The form of supportshpwn in Fig. 8, which may for some purposes be preferred1 consists of two separate pieces of sheet metal bent into channel form, the side flanges 51 of which are provided with apertures 54 fitting the dowel studs 19 of the said apparatus, by means of which these supports are held in position in the door shell 53 While being Welded, brazed, or riveted thereto as above described, after which the fitting may be affixed in the same manner as that of Fig. 7. In this arrangement, as in that previously described, the apertures 55 of the door shell are made larger than the apertures 54 in the support, so as to enable these holes and other structural elements to which this invention is applicable.

I claim as my'invention 1. Apparatus for locating interior members in hollow structures, having gaging means for locating the apparatus upon the structure and having projections adapted to extend within the hollow structure to support the said interior members in a definite position therein.

2. Apparatus for locating interior members in hollow structures, having gaging means for locating the apparatus upon the structure and having projections adapted to extend within the hollow structure to support the said interior members in a definite position therein, and means for clamping the apparatus to the hollow structure.

3. Apparatus for locating within a hollow door' an apertured support for door ittings, the apparatus being provided with gaging members for locating the apparatus relative to the door, and positioning members adapted to enter the apertures in the said support to locate the latter within the door in position for supporting its fittings.

4. Apparatus for locating within a hollow door an apertured support for door fittings, the apparatus being provided with gaging members for locating the apparatus relative to the door, positioning members for entering the door and the apertures in the support to locate the latter within the door in position for supporting its ttings, and

means for clamping the apparatus upon the door.

5. Apparatus for locating within a hollow door an apertured support for door fittings, the apparatus being provided with gaging members for locating the apparatus upon the door, positioning members for entering the door and the apertures in the support, to locate the isupport in a definite position within the door suitable for supporting and positioning its ttings, and means for clamping the apparatus to place sidewise and edgewise relative to the door.

6. Means for locating within other structures a support having seats for removable fittings, consisting of an apparatus having locating means engagingthe said seats and having gaging means for locating the apparatus with the support in position upon and relative to said other structures while securing the support thereto.

Means for positioning within a hollow structure a. support having seats for receiving removable littings, consisting of gaging apparatus having positioning means for engaging with the said seats and provided with means for locating the apparatus upon the said hollow structures to position the said support while the latter is being secured within the hollow structure.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses this 23rd day of June, 1914.

FRANK E. HOWARD.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM H. HoNIss, CAROLINE M. BREGKLE.

Copies of thispatent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

